It was the 1960s, and contractual wranglings were rife to put it mildly. And so it was, via a suitably circuitous route, ZZ Hill’s recording contract landed with the inimitable Jerry Williams, aka Swamp Dogg. With come cunning negotiation and some cash, Dogg got Hill into the studio to record an album that was a combination of standards, covers and, of course, William originals. Although it took longer than Hill hand anticipated (he’d planned three days to cover his parts in the studio) the result was worth the effort, and the Williams / Hill paring scored a whole heap of sales – although it wasn’t until some time later that Hill would sign to Columbia and make his real breakthrough.
Of course, like so many other albums of the era, especially those that predate major success, ‘The Brand New ZZ Hill’ has languished in obscurity for over 40 years. It perhaps goes without saying that it’s a shame, and that its reissue, with a slew of bonus cuts is welcome: from the swinging’ r’n’b blues groove of ‘It Ain’t No Use’ to the soulful balladeering of ‘Second Chance’ and the smoochy ‘Early in the Morning’ via the hectic brass-bustin’ funkout of ‘Our Love is Getting Better’, Hill’s third album oozes quality. The dialogue between tracks is a little odd at times, but then, with Swamp Dogg at the deck there’s no chance of an album being ordinary.
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